Three men killed in Tarrant County police chase identified

Officials on Monday identified the three men killed in a crash after a police chase through must of northeast Tarrant County Sunday morning.

Police began the pursuit in Haltom City when officers attempted to stop a Chevrolet sport utility vehicle driven by a suspected drunken driver on North Beach Street.

Investigators believe the driver was Ricardo Anthony Valdez, 24, who led police through six cities in northeast Tarrant County before crashing in Grapevine and dying in the wreck.

His two passengers were identified as Daniel Barajas, 24, and Marco Daniel Valdez, 27, according to the Tarrant County medical examiner's website Monday. The three were pronounced dead at 3:50 a.m. Sunday at the scene.

Police said they believe Marco and Ricardo Valdez were brothers.

Family members could not be reached Monday for comment.

The three were killed when they were ejected from the SUV as it rolled down an embankment into the northbound lanes of Texas 360 in Grapevine, Haltom City police said.

The chase began about 3:30 a.m. in the 2800 block of North Beach Street in Haltom City. Officers used tire deflation sticks, which failed to stop the vehicle.

The SUV then led officers through North Richland Hills, Hurst, Bedford, Euless, Colleyville and then Grapevine.

In Grapevine, the motorist exited Texas 121 at Hall Johnson Road and drove north on a service road. At the service road and Stone Myers Parkway, the SUV continued northbound off the roadway into a construction area, police said.

The vehicle drove up an embankment, where the motorist lost control of the SUV and it rolled down, Haltom City police said.

The northbound lanes of Texas 360 were closed for more than five hours Sunday as Grapevine police investigated.

Ricardo Valdez did not have any previous DWI arrests in Tarrant County, police said.

Domingo Ramirez Jr.: 817-390-7763, @mingoramirezjr

This story was originally published January 22, 2018 at 1:24 PM with the headline "Three men killed in Tarrant County police chase identified."